Adjustable guide arm for flush tank valve stem



Get. 9, 1956 J F, DUNCAN 2,765,474

ADJUSTABLE GUIDE ARM FOR FLUSH TANK VALVE STEM Filed April '7, 1954 IN VEN TOR. flMES F. flmvcn/v ATT'QQ/VEX ADJUSTABLE GUIDE ARM FOR FLUSH TANK VALVE STEM 'James F; Duncan, Prospect, Conn. Application April 7, 1954, Serial No. 421,480

4 Claims. (Cl. 4-57) This invention relates to flush tanks and more particularly to a guide arm for a ball valve stem for use in such a tank.

In flush tanks employing a discharge valve, it is necessary to guide the valve stem in order to maintain it in alignment with the outlet seat, by means of a guide arm mounted on the overflow pipe of the tank.

In the present invention, a unitary guide arm made of three parts is employed, said arm being adapted to be mounted on three different sizes of overflow pipes and adapted to be clamped in any desired position along the latter, and is secured by use of a single fastening screw.

One object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable valve stem guide arm of the above nature, in which the arm may be quickly and easily adjusted both vertically and horizontally with respect to the overflow pipe was to accurately center the ball valve upon its seat in the outlet pipe.

A further object is to provide a guide arm of the above nature which will be simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install and manipulate, compact, ornamental in appearance, and very efiicient and durable in use.

With these and other objects in view, there has been illustrated on the accompanying drawing, one form in which the invention may conveniently be embodied in practice.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 represents a side view of the flush valve stem guide arm as it appears when supported upon the overflow pipe of a flush tank.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front perspective view of the guide arm itself.

Fig. 3 is a rear perspective view of the same.

Fig. 4 is a front perspective view of the same, with the pipe embracing sections shown in open position, prior to assembly.

Referring now to the drawing in which like reference l itedstams.Pa IO numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 10 indicates a hollow rubber float valve adapted to fit on an annular seat 11 formed in a horizontal base 12, said seat being in communication with a lower outlet pipe 13 leading to a water closet bowl. Extending upwardly from an ofiset lug 14 on the base 12, is the usual vertical overflow pipe 15.

The float valve 10 is secured to the lower end of a valve stem 16, which is adapted to be centralized upon the valve seat 11 by means of an adjustable horizontal guide arm generally indicated by the numeral 17.

The upper end of the valve stem 16 is provided with an eye 18 which is adapted to be loosely connected to a pull link 19, which may manually be operated by suitable linkage mechanism, not shown, to lift the float valve 10 from its seat whenever the flush valve is opera-ted.

The adjustable guide arm 17 consists of three essential parts: A concave pipe embracing member 20, a concave pipe embracing member 21, and a copper screw 31.

The concave pipe embracing member 20 is provided with an inwardly offset end 26 having a tapped hole 34 for receiving the screw 31.

The other end of the member 20 is provided with three pairs of opposed side notches 28, 29, 30 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The concave pipe embracing member 21 is provided with a pair of elongated end slots 24, 25 and has an inwardly offset end 27 adapted to lie in abutment with the oifset end 26, when in operating position.

At the end of the inwardly ofiset member 27, provision. is made of a pair of aligned vertically spaced cars 22, 23

for guiding the stem 16 of the ball float valve 10.

The copper screw 31 is provided with a flat thumb piece 32 having an integral enlarged shoulder 33 adjacent thereto.

Operation In operation, the pipe embracing members 20 and 21 will first be placed around the pipe 15 with the notched end of said member 20 located with-in the slot 25 of the member 21 according to the size of the overflow pipe 15 being embraced by the guide arm 17.

The screw 31 will then be passed through the slot 24, inserted into the tapped hole 34, and tightened to securely hold the clamp in adjusted position.

Before the screw 31 is tightened, it will first be adjusted in the slot 24 to provide the proper distance between the valve stem 16 and the overflow pipe 15. This adjustment may be made very readily, and the guide arm will then be held tightly in position by the single screw 31.

One advantage of the present invention is that all set screws or other attaching devices which might injure the overflow pipe are entirely eliminated.

A further advantage is that the guide bracket may be simultaneously adjusted and clamped both vertically and horizontally without the necessity of using screwdrivers, wrenches or other tools.

While there has been disclosed in this specification, one form in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that this form is shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention is not to be limited to the specific disclosure, but may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modification-s and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention what is claimed as new and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent is:

1. In a flush valve stem guide, including elongated pivotally mounted members having arcu-ate portions adapted to embrace a supporting member, one of said members being provided with an aperture adapted to slidably receive a valve stem, said pivotal mounting including a longitudinally slidable fulcrum means and a longitudinally slidable clamping means, whereby said guide may be releasably damped to a supporting structure, said one member being adjustably positioned longitudinally with respect to another of said members to properly space said aperture with respect to said supporting memher.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein said fulcrum means includes a notch provided in one of said members to be received in an elongated slot provided in another of said members.

3. In a flush valve stem guide, including a pair of elongated members adapted to embrace a tubular support, one of said members being provided with a longitudinal slot to receive a notched portion provided in the other said members to provide a slidable pivotal connection between said members, releasable clamping means attached to one of said members and longitudinally slidable-with-r espect to the-other member, and one of said members-having an aperture .towslidably IBCEiY6-8 valve. stem.

4. In a flush valve stem guide, including a pair of members adapted toencircle a pipe, one ofsaidmembers having an Opening to slidably' receive and gnide avalve stem,-one end of one of'said members having a plurality of spaced notches adapted to be'received in an elongated slot provided at one end of the other of said members, one of said members having an elongated slot extending in the same direction as said first mentioned slot to receive a clamping member threaded in'the other of said members, whereby said members may-be releasably clamped to pipes of varying diameters by fnlcruming engagement between one'of said notches and one of said slots, and the -po'sition of said guide opening may/5e varied Jay -o said match References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED SFATES PATENTS 1,991,90-7- Platt Echo-'19, 1935 2,071,823 Duncan Feb. 23, 1937 2,393,139 Broadman Ian. 15, 1946 2,524,897 Drisl fill Get. 10, 1950 2,610,&16' VO1 .-SCQL L6, 1952 2,632,181 Kass Mar. 24, 1953 

